Proof-printing machine



April 12, 1960 G. KANlTZ PROOF-PRINTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 23, 1955 2; Wm 51 6 Z 6% v1 5 pr l 12, 1960 G. KANITZ 2,932,250

PROOFPRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 41 I I l I i... i/ l 1 l l l I II,III IIIIIIIIIIIIlIlI/IIIIIII Fe! f- //VVfA f fiited States Patent Claims priority, application FranceNovember 27, 1954 Claims. (Crier- 245 The present invention relates to proof-press machines for taking proofs from cylindrical printing tonnes or from printing plates mounted on cylindrical mandrels, this forrne or plate mounted on a mandrel being termed in the text which follows proof cylinder etched, i.e. helio-engraved or hollow-engraved, and more particularly to machines of the type referred to which work on paper in sheets in a is to say in which the proof cylinder is stopped hefore the printing of each sheet. v

Machines of this kind, the operation oi which differs considerably from that of production printing machines, are of relatively simple and abling tests to be made of th engraving without waste of raw material. In spite of these advantages, however, machines of the type referred to have the drawback that the proof cylinder must be each time a print is made. either long and complicated in known machines of this kind, or alternatively it is not accurate. I Q,

- T Present inventien h f r t bject a machinist taking printing proofs of the kind described, whichiis free from these defects, and in which the location of. the position of the cylinder before each printing is at the same time both rapid and accurate; while the construc- 2 1 f the ma e s c n ent a d t operation is sim e compac c s ruc on.

suitably located in position. This positioning is generally and b in I noncontinuous manner, that V 2,932,250 Patented Apr- 1 ice , 2 The sighting device of the machine is constituted b the bent finger 23 which is mounted in the support 24 so as to be able to be moved forward or back with reference to a point engraved on the cylinder. The spindle of the support 24 is mounted on the framework of the machine or on the table 14-. It is parallel to a generatrix line of the cylinder, and the support 24 isarranged to slide on this spindle. The point of the finger -Z 3-iS of plastic material, metal, or any other suitable a erial which is less hard than the copper with which the cylinder It is generally covered. The adjustment of the pointer 23 is chosen so that the point is located close, to the line of contact between the cylinder 10 and roll 18, the position of this line remaining always the same, even for proof cylinders of different diameters in the machine.

The stopping or locking device for the cylinder 10 comprises a cam 26 which is adjustably fixed on the shaft of the cylinder 10, and on which a tooth 27 serves as an abutment for the extremity 28 of a lever 29. This lever 29 is shown in Fig. l in full lines in the operative position in which it is engaged with the tooth 27, and in dotted lines in the inoperative position when it is disengaged from the said tooth. The electro-magnet serves Further objects, features, and, advantages of the in-,,-

'yention will furthermore be brought out from the description which follows below of one form of construction chosen by way ofexample, the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view elev ti n; Y

Fla s a Par al front v ew I t e od m n s own in .Pvliadsr 1 which s d re y ocng aved r i provided with a helio-engraved plate stretched over a cylinease ma d s s n r e by its shaf end 11' in jam- 4 hea ing 1% carr ed y acks 13 on th twe rames o the "ma in A ab e a stm n of hese t iads sneb s d t o d f e di met r ta te t d-While m intaining t e. sw wo eight wit t feed table 14 of the machine. 'The n t e direct on at he F. an 1 h n or P e ably ra mall P 5 it t o s e n r ediar 91. friction clutch device. The cylinderlll er 15 which contains the fluid The scraper 16 is coupled to the arm' 17 sure roll 18 by a threaded rod l9 fixedto at 2d? The other extremity hetweenthe .two arms of a I a lever 3.21; The latter is keyed on the shaft 22 of the scraper 116. n In accordance with the position of thearm 0f the machine.

1. rotates i rare ips mt an of the' pres- 17, the extremity v(If/the scraper 16 .r'nakes contact with the surf e of the proof Cylinder 10 or is kept away ref rence being made to ig 1 an 2, eprolof spect i9 3 of the machine in side 7 of thefro'd' 1 9 is engaged fork'for'med at the end of to actuate the stop-lever 29. In Fig. 1, the lever is shown freed from the cam 26 when the supplycircuit of the .electro-magnet 3t is broken, and is "in engagement with the cam 26 when the said circuit is closed. lt is of course also possible to arrange the plunger directed downwards, which would reverse the relation between the stop device and the clos'ing'or opening of the circuit of the electro-magnet. The spring 31 restores the stoplever 29 to the disengaged position after the breaking of the circuit of the electro-magnet.

The pressure roll means of the machine is composed V of two arms "17 keyed on the shaft 32 and carrying the pressure roll 18 and the-counter-pressure roll 33., The

hpward and downward movement of these arms cone. trolled by a first actuating means'comprising a'toothcd' segment 34 which is keyed on the shaft 32 and which is inengagement with a screw 35, a pair of bevelled gears 36-37 and a crank-handle 38.

, The rotary movement of inking or preparation period, with the pressure roll 18 in its inoperative position remote from the proof cylinder this obtained, as has already beenstated, eitherlby hand or by motor means (not shown on the drawing). This an'xiliary motor is not directly coupled to the cylind'er but through the medium of a friction coupling. This motor may thus continue to rotate, even when the cylinder 10 has been stopped bythe stop device of the machine. In order to make less abrupt the stoppage ofthc cylinder produced by the cam 26; and the lever .29, provision may be made for breaking iliary motor which drives the cylinder, valittle before.

the engagement of the stopping device, and then tone close its circuit immediately afterwards.

The drive of the cylinder lli in the printing position of thepressure r'oll means 33 18 is elfected'by means of the motor 4% which drives the COUHICEEPICSSUIC roll 33 through the pairs of pulleys 41, 4 2, 43, 44 andqthe 46. The rotary movement of the counter pressure r'oll.33 is transmitted to the cylind r 1-9- by contact through the intermediary of the pressure cylinder lil, when this latter is brought into contact with the cylinder 10. The table 14 is" usedfor the introduction of the sheet 47 to be" printed. The guides 48 which are located on the extension 49 of the table serve to locate the sheet in its correct position.

.. In the electric circuit of the electromagnet 30 -is included a switch 50. This switch is open when'the pressure-roll, 33 is inits raised position (such as that shown the cylinder 19 during the the circuit of the aim-'- handle 38 and the control in Fig. 1). The switch 50 is closed by the cam 51 rigidly fixed to the arm 17, when the pressure roll 33 has 7 moved sufliciently close to the is mounted in serieswith the switch'50 and is shown in its closed position in Fig. 1. It can be opened by a cam 56 carried by a second actuating means comprising a lever 53 which operates the printing motor 40.

The circuit of the printing motor 40 can be opened by a switch 54. The closure of this switch 54 is effected by a cam 55 when the lever 53 reaches its bottom position. A one-way connection means comprising a chain 57 couples the lever 53 to the arm 17 of the roll 18 and prevents the motor 40 from certain positions of the said pressure roll.

cylinder 10. A switch 52 the circuit of this motor each printed is not in front of the time the sheet 47 to be cell, and re-closes the cirlength of'the sheet.

' The proof cylinder 10 is mounted by its shafts 11 in the journal bearing 12 of the proof machine. The jacks 13 (see Fig. 2) serve to bring the cylinder 10 to the working height of the machine, which corresponds roughly to a tangential relation of the table 14.

The pointer 23 of the sighting member is placed so as to coincide with a predetermined point on the engraving to be tested. The pressure roll 18 is lowered on to the surface of the cylinder 10 by means of the crank- 37-363534. During this operation, the cam 51 closes the electric switch 50 and excites the electro-magnet 30 which, in its turn, pulls down the stop-lever 29 from its free position into the locking position. 7

- The cam 26 is mounted on the shaft 11 of the cylinder 10 in such manner that the notch 27 of the cam'26 is in close contact with the extremity 28 of the stop-lever The sheet 47 to be table 14 and this sheet is adjusted against thegurdes 48. These guides may be since the stop device 2629 reproduces exactly before being set in operation for each printing operation, the same position fixed once and for all by the sighting device 23-2425. Any adjustment of the guides would even be a drawback, since it would even prevent the discovery of incorrect positions of the engravings on the cylinder. When the pressure means 18 is lowered against the cylinder 10, the shape of the sheet 47 becomes arcuate and the front edge of the sheet is thus raised above the guides 48.

The pressure roll 18 is lowered by means of the crank handle 38 towards the trial cylinder 10. The threaded rod 19 is adjusted in such manner that the scraper 16 begins to touch the surface of the cylinder a little before the end of the travel of the roll 18. A stoppage of this kind will be produced when the cam 51 keyed on the shaft 32 closes the switch 50 at the same time as the circuit of theelectromagnet 30. The lever 29 comes into engagement with the notch 27 of the cam 26 and stops the cylinder 10 in the position previously fixed by the even if the pres- 38, the lever 53 of rest and has operator for energizing the motor 40 switch 54 and starts up the printing motor 40. The motor" der 10 and roll pleted, the" cylinder 10 motor 40 and the cam ftially a. preparatory are up. The. switchr54 is open and am The switch 52 is closed but the switch 50 is open 40 causes the counter-pressure roll 33 to rotate and, the pressure roll 18 being pressed against the cylinder 10, causes the rotation by these applications of the cylinder 10 in the direction of the arrow F. As the cylinder 10 rotates, the sheet 47 also moves forward and, by virtue of the pressure applied on its surface by the pressure roll 18, the sheet 47 the lever 53 from its lower position towards its initial position. The cam 55 again breaks the circuit of the 56 leaves still open the circuit of the electromagnet 30. In order to complete the cycle, the pressure roll 18 is raised by means of the crank handle 38 into its position away from the cylinder 10.

The chain 57 replaces the lever 53 in the initial position, as shown in the drawings. The cycle being comcontinues to be rotated in the direction of the arrow F, the scraper 16 being once more moved away.

If it is desired to regulate the length of printing automatically with the photoelectric cell 58, the operation is the same, except that the breaking of the circuit of the motor 40 will take place without actuation of the lever 53, as soon as the sheet 47 has passed completely in front of the cell 58.

In other words, the operation of the proof-press machine in accordance with the invention comprises substanstage, a first control stage, and a second control stage, as follows:

.Preparatory s tage.The controls 38 and 53 are at rest. The pressure roll means '18 and the scraper 16 motor 40 is stationproof cylinder 10 is rotated, for instance by an assistant, with a thick layer of ink thereon which is prevented from drying.

First control stage.-The handle 38 is actuated. The switch 50 closes. The arm 29 stops the cylinder 10.

The roll 18 applies against the cylinder while the scraper 16 is made operative.

Second control stage.--The lever 53 is lowered. The switch 52 opens. The arm 29 releases the cylinder 11). The switch 55 closes and energizes the motor 40. The printing is started.

It is to be noted that the operator attacks the second control stage by the lever 53 selectively as soon as the first control stage by the handle 38 is completed, whereby the time during which the cylinder does not rotate is reduced to a minimum and the ink cannot possibly dry. The printing quality is thereby always fine. The chain 57, however, avoids any premature actuation of the lever 53.

What I claim is:

1. A proof-press machine for taking proofs from etched cylinders, comprising in combination, a rotatable etched proof cylinder, an inker receiving said cylinder therein for inking said cylinder, a scraper appliable against said cylinder for removing excess ink therefrom, a stopping means for stopping in one predetermined angular position said cylinder during rotation thereof, said stopping means being movable between an operative and an inoperative position, a pressure roll means for pressing a sheet against said cylinder for printing said sheet, said pressure roll means being mounted between a printing position and an inoperative remote position, a first actuating means for moving said pressure roll tween said positions thereof, a motor means for driving said pressure roll means in rotation and thereby driving said sheet and said cylinder when said pressure roll means is in the printing position, a second actuating means movable from a position of rest to a position energizing said motor means, a one-way connection means between said pressure roll means and said second actuating means for impeding actuation of said second actuating means from its position of rest when said pressure roll means is in its inoperative remote position, a first member on said pressure roll means controlling said stopping means for rendering it operative while said pressure roll means is moved from the inoperative remote position towards the printing position, and a second member on said second actuating means and controlling said stopping means for rendering it inoperative while said second actuating means is moved from its position of rest towards its position energizing said motor means.

2. A machine as defined in claim 1 further comprismeans be- 1 member responsive ing resilient restoring means for putting said stopping means in the inoperative position, a first electric circuit, an electromagnet in said circuit adapted to overcome said resilient restoring means for putting said stopping means in the operative position, and a first and a second switch in series in said circuit, said first switch being controlled by said first member for being opened when said pressure roll means is in its inoperative remote position and for closing while said pressure roll means is moved towards its printing position, said second switch being controlled by said second member for being closed when said second actuating means is in its position of rest and for opening while said second actuating means is moved from its position of rest towards its position energizing said motor means.

3. A machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said motor means is an electric motor means, further comprising a second electric circuit for feeding said motor means, and a third switch in said second circuit, said third switch being controlled by said second actuating means.

4. A machine as defined in claim 3 further comprising a fourth switch in said second circuit, and a third to the presence of a sheet to be printed for closing said fourth switch when said sheet is present and opening said fourth switch when said sheet is not present.

5. A machine as defined in claim 1 further comprising a connection means between said pressure roll means and said scraper for applying said scraper on said cylinder when said pressure roll means is in its printing position and for removing said scraper from said cylinder when said presusre roll means is in its inoperative remote position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

